URGENT repairs costing £1.1 million have been approved for a permanent traveller site at Winterbourne.
South Gloucestershire councillors agreed the works for Northwood Park in Old Gloucester Road, after hearing that the site, which was originally built in the 1990s, needed significant repairs to address “urgent and serious health and safety concerns”.
They include replacing the drainage, installing new pipework, upgrading electricity supplies to the 19 plots and renovating the on-site office, which is “not deemed fit for occupation”.
A report to cabinet members said the surface water drainage system has failed and requires frequent use of pumps.
In order to complete a new surface water drainage system, major works are required to the field to install pipework and a tank.
Electrical upgrades are needed to each individual plot to comply with landlord electrical certification, and a new bin store is also needed.
The report said: “There is no current way of managing how bins and refuse are stored, leading to an overflow of rubbish and an ongoing health and safety issue.
“These repairs represent work which has accumulated over a number of years.
“The works to the site will improve the standard of living enabling the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to live safely and positively impact their working lives as well as positively impacting the education of children and young people living on the site by ensuring a better home environment, which is evidenced to support educational attainment.
“The works will also address and improve the health and safety standards leading to better life chances and opportunities for residents and will support the local authority to meet its public sector equality duty by giving the residents equality of opportunity and improve relations with the wider local community.”
The meeting on Monday also heard that the drainage works would reduce flood risk and the bin store should prevent pollution from fly-tipping, reducing risks to wildlife, soil and watercourses.
The works will be paid for through additional borrowing and use of reserves.
The cabinet also approved £600,000 of capital spending to replace two chillers that are supposed to keep office workers cool and comfortable at Bristol & Bath Science Park.
The report said one had already failed beyond economic repair and was permanently switched off, while the other was unreliable, having suffered three significant failures over the past two years.
It said a feasibility study in 2025 assessing options favoured replacing the chillers like-for-like rather than installing an air source heat pump, which would be significantly more expensive.
The report added: “It is recommended that consideration be given to replacement of the solar panels on the site, which would help to offset the impacts of replacing chillers with a like-for-like solution with support from the climate and nature emergency budget.”
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service